Reiterating her government’s stand on the issue of introducing National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) or any common entrance exam for medical admissions in the country, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa wrote to Prime Minister Modi opposing any efforts to introduce it, as it “favoured” only the urban elite and not students from rural areas.
Ms. Jayalalithaa’s letter to Mr. Modi follows media reports on a proposal by the Medical Council of India seeking the views of various Ministries on introducing a common entrance examination for medical admissions.
“Tamil Nadu strongly objects to any such fresh purported attempts by the government of India to nullify the judgment of the Supreme Court by seeking introduction of NEET or by introducing it in any other name or manner, as it infringes upon the State’s rights and admission policies to medical educational institutions in Tamil Nadu,” she said.
Contending that a common entrance exam by design favoured the urban elite and rural students were at a disadvantage since they lacked the resources to enrol in training institutes and coaching classes, she claimed that a large number of meritorious students from rural areas have benefited by the State government’s decision to abolish the Common Entrance Test.
Ms. Jayalalithaa recalled all her letters to the Central government over the issue and cited a Supreme Court judgment in 2013 held the notification introducing NEET for the undergraduate and postgraduate medical and dental courses ultra vires.
While the Centre had filed a review petition in the apex court against the judgment, the State government too had filed a petition opposing the review petition filed by the centre, she pointed out.
